Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. - Barack Obama

Friday, October 3, 2008

Open Letter to PM & Cabinet and letter writing campaign to ask that the government preserve JBJ's public spiritedness and love of the law

I sent this email today. Its with regards to an Open Letter to the Prime Minister and Cabinet members. Please refer to TOC's blogpost or sign-up/join the facebook group In Memory of J B Jeyaretnam to learn more about this letter-writing campaign

from Jacob George to lee_hsien_loong@pmo.gov.sg, cabinet_office@cabinet.gov.sgdate 3 October 2008 20:15subject Re: To ask the government to preserve J B Jeyaretnam's public spiritedness and love of the law

3 Oct 2008

To the Prime Minister & Cabinet Members

I write to you with regards to an Open Letter to you and the members of your Cabinet which was sent to the Straits Times Forum page by a group of individuals. (See below for the Open Letter)

I support the contents of the Open Letter which calls on the Government to preserve JBJ's public spiritedness and love of the law.

Thank you.

Regards,

Jacob GeorgeSXXXXXXXF

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS CABINET

30 September 2008

Dear Prime Minister & Cabinet Members

By all accounts, we have lost a figure of uncommon strength and conviction in Mr JB Jeyaretnam.

No matter which side of the political fence we stand, it is undeniable that Mr JBJ, as he will be fondly remembered, has fought long and hard for what he believed was good for Singapore and, good for Singaporeans.

Mr JBJ did all he could with all he could. In staying the course, he has undoubtedly performed a public duty as a citizen of Singapore and, amply demonstrated the public spirit, the commitment to country and, the "nation before self" maxim that the government has sought to propagate.

As Singaporeans we are proud that such a man as Mr JBJ walked among us. We appreciate the sacrifices Mr JBJ has made for his beliefs in serving the people of Singapore . We are equally proud that the government, in spite of its political differences, has acknowledged the same resilience and service to nation in Mr JBJ.

Mr JBJ is an icon - an individual who stood up to serve the country and who stood tall for his beliefs and principles. As citizens of Singapore , we hope that Mr JBJ's public spiritedness and love of the law can be preserved in the following manner:

1) a professorial chair in the name of Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam be created in the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore and,

2) A scholarship fund in the name of Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam for graduate studies in political science and/or constitutional law and/or civil society studies.

We also humbly ask the government to further demonstrate its commitment to public spiritedness and active citizenry by taking the lead to provide the seed fund for the above honours for others to follow.

We look forward to your encouragement as we mourn the loss of one of Singapore's better sons.

Beyond Suspicion?

Click here to read the report Prosperity versus individual rights? Human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Singapore by the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute. Click here for their statement.